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Frieswal: India’s High-Milk-Yield, Climate-Ready Dairy Breed Perfect for Farmers!

Frieswal, a synthetic dairy cattle breed from India, combines Holstein Friesian’s high milk yield with Sahiwal’s adaptability. Developed by ICAR and Military Farms, it produces 4,000 kg milk per lactation, enhancing India’s dairy productivity through rigorous breeding, progeny testing, and genetic improvement programs.

Frieswal

Frieswal is a synthetic dairy cattle breed developed through a collaborative effort between the ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cattle (ICAR-CIRC), Meerut, and the Military Farms Service. This breed is the result of crossing the Holstein Friesian (62.5%) and the indigenous Sahiwal (37.5%) cattle, aiming to combine the high milk production of the Holstein Friesian with the hardiness and adaptability of the Sahiwal to India’s varied agro-climatic conditions. With its official accession number INDIA_CATTLESYNTHETIC_2024_FRIESWAL_04001, Frieswal has emerged as one of the most successful crossbred cattle breeds developed in India.

Origin and Development

The Frieswal Project was initiated with the goal of developing a high-yielding dairy breed capable of producing 4,000 kg of milk with 4% butterfat content over a 300-day lactation period. This ambitious national initiative was implemented across 37 Military Farms, strategically designed to improve milk productivity while ensuring that the breed can thrive in diverse climatic zones throughout India.

The breeding process for Frieswal follows a rigorous program of inter se mating and progeny testing. Only genetically superior cows and bulls are selected to contribute to future generations, ensuring that the breed maintains its robustness, high milk yield, and adaptability. This careful selection process is key to Frieswal’s ongoing genetic improvement.

Frieswal Project: Progress and Prospects

To address India’s growing demand for milk, the Frieswal Project began with a large-scale crossbreeding program using Friesian-Sahiwal crosses as its foundation. Initially, four Military Farms participated, which later increased to six, with plans to add five more farms during the Eighth Five-Year Plan (1993-1998).

The Project Directorate on Cattle, established by ICAR during the Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985-1990), introduced Frieswal at the Military Farm School and Research Centre in Meerut in 1987. Since then, the program has focused on studying the breed’s genetics, refining milk production traits, and collecting comprehensive field data for progeny testing. This large-scale effort has been instrumental in shaping Frieswal’s genetic profile.

Military Farms: Pillars of Frieswal Development

India’s 42 organized cattle farms include Military Farms, which are the largest source of crossbred dairy cattle. These farms primarily supply quality milk to defense forces but also play a critical role in setting standards for dairy management and genetic improvement.

Historically, Military Farms incorporated various European breeds such as Friesian, Jersey, Guernsey, Ayrshire, and Shorthorn, along with Indian zebu breeds like Sahiwal, Hariana, Tharparkar, Sindhi, and Gir. By 1928, crossbreeding efforts focused on Friesian-Sahiwal crosses, achieving an ideal mix of 3/8 to 5/8 Friesian inheritance. This breeding groundwork paved the way for the structured development of Frieswal.

Breeding and Genetic Enhancement Strategies

The Frieswal Project employs a comprehensive genetic improvement strategy, coordinated through six data-recording centers located at Meerut, Ambala, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Bareilly, and Dehradun Military Farms. These centers conduct:

  • Progeny testing to identify superior bulls with excellent genetic traits.
  • Field performance recording to monitor milk yield, butterfat content, growth, and reproductive efficiency.
  • Interbreeding selection aimed at refining the genetic makeup for better productivity.

The ultimate goal is to establish Frieswal as a nationally recognized dairy breed, balancing high milk production with superior adaptability to local environmental conditions.

Milk Production and Economic Impact

Frieswal cattle have demonstrated impressive milk production capabilities, contributing significantly to India’s dairy output. In 1991-92 alone, Military Farms produced approximately 2,833.3 million liters of milk, helping to meet the country’s growing demand. At an average production cost of ₹5.95 per liter during this period, Frieswal proved to be an economically viable option for large-scale dairy farming.

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Beyond direct milk sales, the Frieswal breed benefits the dairy sector by providing valuable data for genetic research and dairy management improvements. Military Farms serve as crucial hubs for advancing breeding programs, helping to standardize practices, and ultimately boosting India’s national milk production.

Towards a National Dairy Breed

Frieswal was conceived to become a standardized national dairy breed capable of producing 4,000 kg of milk with 4% butterfat per lactation under optimal management. This vision is progressively being realized through:

  • Refinement and improvement of crossbred herds in Military Farms.
  • Careful genetic selection of bulls exhibiting superior milk traits.
  • Progeny testing and interbreeding of elite dairy cattle.

Through continuous improvement efforts, Frieswal is poised to become one of India’s most productive and adaptable dairy cattle breeds.

Frieswal marks a breakthrough in Indian dairy genetics by combining Holstein Friesian’s high milk yield with Sahiwal’s adaptability. Developed through Military Farms and research centers, it’s becoming a key breed in India’s dairy industry, boosting milk production, farmer incomes, and livestock sustainability across varied regions with ongoing research and investment.

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